A probabilistic assessment is conducted to propagate the uncertainties in the input data through the modeling system and develop a probability distribution of the human mercury dose that reflects these uncertainties.

The standard deviation of the distribution of the calculated human dose is about 50% of the mean value.

For the example considered here (i.e., Park Lake in Michigan, U.S.A.), 80% of the uncertainty in the human dose was due to uncertainties in the speciation of mercury air emissions, pH and temperature of the lake, burial velocity of the sediments, and rate of fish consumption.